Mitas IN | Vol. 16 | No. 2 | 2018 | Page 1

Vol. 16 | No. 2 | 2018

The backbone of the Mitas agricultural tires with special construction is the VF (Very High Flexion) range. Thanks to their construction, these tires provide around 40% higher load capacity than standard tractor tires, and this load capacity remains constant throughout their speed range. Mitas is continuing to expand its offer of these modern agricultural tires and will launch a total of nine new VF tire versions by the end of 2018.

N E W S L E T T E R F O R C U S T O M E R S A N D F R I E N D S O F M I T A S

The HC1000 is designed for self-propelled agricultural sprayers, the HC2000 for

high-powered tractors, and the HC3000 for combine harvesters. “The main advantage of the VF tires is that the user does not have to adjust their pressure according to speed, which is necessary for standard tires,” explained Pavel Kott, product manager for Mitas agricultural tires. The load capacity is thus only influenced by tire inflation pressure. Thanks to their lower inflation pressure, VF tires also ensure very effective power transmission and limit slippage. Their large contact area significantly reduces soil compaction, helping to protect it. Their higher load capacity improves machine efficiency and the reinforced construction gives them a longer service life.

HC3000 tires for combine harvesters are offered in a reinforced CFO (Cyclic Field Operation) version permitting greater loading at harvest time compared to standard construction tires. This year’s new VF 580/85R42 HC3000 183B tire has a B speed category, allowing speeds of 50 km/h at a loading of 8750 kg and nominal pressure of 2.8 bars.

“The VF tires form the foundation of our special-construction agricultural tire offer bringing users important benefits, and so we will

Mitas VF 600/70R30 HC2000 mounted on a John Deere tractor.

Mitas to significantly expand its VF tire range

continue to expand this range. In 2019 we will be commencing production of additional VF tires, with the first to be added to the range being the VF 540/65R34 HC2000 163D for high-powered tractors,” Pavel Kott added.

(JB)

Learn more about Mitas HC2000 tires here.

THE FOLLOWING SIZES WERE LAUNCHED TO MARKET IN RECENT MONTHS■ VF 420/85R28 HC2000 151D■ VF 540/65R30 HC2000 161D■ VF 580/85R42 CFO HC3000 183B■ VF 480/80R46 HC2000 175D■ VF 320/105R54 HC1000 169D

THE FOLLOWING TIRES WILL BE PUT INTO PRODUCTION BY THE END OF 2018■ VF 1000/65R32 CFO HC3000R 200A8■ VF 580/80R34 CFO HC3000 178B■ VF 480/70R38 HC2000 172D■ VF 480/80R50 HC1000 181D

Mitas VF 710/70R42 CFO HC3000 offers lower soil compaction for sustainable farming; comparison of inflation pressures and footprints at 13 300 kg load/tire at cyclic field conditions.

Mitas IN | Vol. 16 | No. 12 | 2018 | Page 2

MTB | sport

Jolanda Neff won overall gold in the MTB World Cup at La Bresse, France.

A successful conclusion to the MTB season

(XC), but the marathon tracks are longer (usually between 70 and 120 km) mea-ning the racers need over four hours to complete the whole race compared to the 1.5 to 2 hours in XC races. For the sake of completeness, we also include a concise results service for Mitas riders from the end of this year’s cycling season. Jolanda Neff missed the podium at Lenzerheide in Switzerland by one place in the world championship race, finishing fourth, followed by Maja Włoszczowska in fifth. Maja also shone in “her” Maja Race, held on 22 September in the Polish city of Jelenia Góra, where she won silver, with Ondřej Cink winning gold on Mitas tires. (JB)

The last race of the MTB World Cup was held on 26 August at La Bresse in France. On Friday’s short track (a race on a short track with a reduced

quantity of terrain elements - XCC) Jolanda came third and thus maintained her almost one-hundred-point lead in the overall World Cup rankings over Annika Langvad from Denmark. One day later, on a very difficult wet course, Jolanda took gold in the main race (for the third time this year in the World Cup) to become the overall series winner. This was her twelfth gold in a World Cup race and the third time she has won the whole series. “It was an unbelievable race! Twice I said to myself: goodbye overall title... Yet each time I managed to catch the other girls. It was the most beautiful but also the most difficult race I have ever done,” Jolanda said afterwards. She raced on tubeless Mitas Scylla Top Design 29x2.25 tires with TEXTRA technology at La Bresse.

On 17 September, Maja Włoszczowska took bronze in the World Championship at the MTB marathon in Auronzo di Cadore in Italy. This was one of the most difficult tracks in the sixteen-year history of MTB marathons. Dane Annika Langvad confirmed her sovereignty in the women’s competition after 89 km and a climb of 3400 m, with third-placed Maja Włoszczowska (again on Mitas Scylla Top Design 29x2.25 tires with TEXTRA technology) finishing with a twelve-minute deficit. MTB marathons are a similar discipline to cross country

The conclusion of the 2018 cycling season was very successful for Mitas bicycle tires with the brand’s riders bringing home several valuable trophies. Swiss cyclist Jolanda Neff of Kross Racing Team confirmed her great form and in the last, dramatic, race won the overall Mountain Bike World Cup. Her team colleague Maja Włoszczowska from Poland was also successful, winning the bronze medal at the world championships in the UCI MTB marathon.

A new size for Scylla and more new productsThe Mitas brand is expanding its offer of mountain bike tires. One of the most popular tires – the universal tread pattern V96 Scylla Top Design – has received a new 62-622 (29x2.45) size and the improved TEXTRA+ antipuncture protection technology has been launched onto the market for Mitas All Mountain tires.

The new Scylla tread pattern size has been designed primarily for cross-country riders, especially marathon

riders, yet is still an excellent choice for mountain e-bikes and for riders who love riding their bikes on more and more popular single trails. The tire does not have the unnecessarily robust tread offered in this size by competitors, and stands out through its excellent grip and cut-resistant sidewall protection with the tried-and-tested TEXTRA technology. 

The characteristics of the TEXTRA technology, which provides maximum sidewall protection with minimal extra weight, mean that the vast majority of pro and hobby riders in many mountain-bike disciplines select tires with this technology. “With this new product we are following the trend of growing market demand for wider tires and we can anticipate its continued growth thanks to the boom in mountain e-bikes,” explains Pavel Nosek, marketing director for Mitas tires and inner tubes. The new tire size is already available on the market, after having been officially presented at the Eurobike trade show in July 2018.

Another new product that Mitas has launched onto the market is innovation in the TEXTRA+ tire protection technology. This applies to the All Mountain (formerly EXTREME) category, which has been changed both as regards the scope of the range and the technology offered. This is a tire for very demanding to extreme terrain sought after by enduro and freeride fans. All the Kratos R10 and Highlander R02 tires sold today now offer additional cut resistance all over the tire surface, meaning from bead to bead. This new technology, called TEXTRA+, significantly reduces tire defects when riding on the most demanding enduro terrains and other gravity disciplines.

The TEXTRA+ technology is not the only new product in the All Mountain category – the Kratos R10 tread design is now offered in the 27.5x2.45 size as well as in the DH Supra Max TOP race version, meaning with a more resistant tire construction with rubber stiffening wings in the sidewall, the same as Highlander. (JB)

Czech Republic champion and former European Enduro championship runner-up Milan Myšík rides on Mitas tires with Textra technology in the most demanding conditions, shown here with the Highlander tread pattern.

Mitas IN | Vol. 16 | No. 2 | 2018 | Page 3

products | sport

Radial tires with high load capacities designed for non-driven wheels of agricultural machinery – this is the Mitas Agriterra range. The tires are widely used on modern fl at trucks, agricultural carriers, trailers, semi-trailers and tankers.

They are offered in the Agriterra 02 and 03 versions. Thanks to its high positive share and rounded shoulder, the Agriterra 02 tread design is very gentle to grassland, while with its lower positive share

and open shoulder the Agriterra 03 offers excellent self-cleaning properties. The latest new products in the range are the 680/60R30.5 IMP 176D Agriterra 03 and 560/45R22.5

IMP 152D Agriterra 02 tires. “The Agriterra 02 in particular is a tread pattern offered on the largest possible number of Mitas fl otation tire sizes today. It features low noise emissions, low rolling resistance and fuel consumption. Agriterra 03 has, in addition, excellent self-cleaning properties,” says Pavel Kott, product manager for Mitas agricultural tires, adding: “These tires with their high load capacity are designed for use on the heaviest agricultural machinery such as tankers and grain trucks.”

The 680/60R30.5 IMP 176D Agriterra 03 tire has a load capacity of 7100 kg at a maximum speed of 65 km/h and nominal infl ation pressure of 4 bars, while the 560/45R22.5 IMP 152D Agriterra 02 offers 3550 kg at 65 km/h and a nominal infl ation pressure of 4 bars.

“Additional 600/60R30.5 and 800/65R32 sizes in the Agriterra series are being prepared for mass production in 2019,” Pavel Kott added. (JB)

A great choice for agricultural machinery

Mitas TERRA FORCE-R 120/70ZR19 and 170/60ZR17 sizes are especially designed

for large adventure motorcycles. The rear tire (170/60ZR17) features a completely new Mitas technology called MCTT (Multi Compound Tread Technology) with different compounds on the central and shoulder parts. With MCTT, the central tread provides increased mileage, and the shoulder tread ensures superior grip at lean angles.

This varied compound distribution offers riders optimal and safe riding experiences in all conditions, including a perfectly balanced wear rate throughout the tire’s lifetime. The combination of the TERRA FORCE-R tread design and specially developed compounds gives riders outstanding performance, as both front and rear tires work together in perfect harmony.

Ksenija Bitenc, director of motorcycle tires and tubes at Mitas, says: “With the addition of the TERRA FORCE-R range, we can provide more road tread designs for the growing segment of large adventure motorcycles.” Being more road-oriented, the new range’s tread design ensures improved riding characteristics on asphalt, and more confi dence on light off-road terrain.

Ksenija Bitenc concludes: “In addition to the above-mentioned sizes, a new 150/70R18 size will be launched in the fi rst quarter of 2019. With these three new sizes, the TERRA FORCE-R range will offer 11 sizes in total.”

JANJA LIKAR ČARMAN, MITAS MOTO

Mitas is adding new sizes to its TERRA FORCE-R range. The new sizes were introduced at the Intermot Fair in Cologne, Germany at the begi-nning of October.

New tires for trails: TERRA FORCE-R

The latest sizes of motorcycle tires Mitas TERRA FORCE-R - front 120/70ZR19 and rear 170/60ZR17.

The new generation of fast and powerful Agriterra 02 agricultural tires for many agricultural uses – fl at trucks, fast-moving agricultural trailers, tank containers and other applications.

Mitas Agriterra 02.

Tractor pulling: two European champions for MitasThis year’s tractor pulling series has been consigned to history, and so we now also know the winners in the European championships in this discipline. 2018 was a very successful year for Mitas.

At the European championship event on 9 September in Alphen in the Netherlands,

two teams competed for the championship in machinery fi tted with special Mitas Powerpull 30.5L32 148A8 tires that Mitas has developed for tractor pulling races and has also offered in its

Continued on page 4

Tractor pulling also offers a spectacular night spectacle. Here you can see the Green Fighter tractor, which won the European championship title in the Heavy Modifi ed category. Photo by Dennis Vos.

retail network since 2016. In the Light Modifi ed category, Dirk Wessel won the championship event with Green Monster Stage V Mitas Edition, beating a starting fi eld of 19 racers. In the Heavy Modifi ed category, Enrico Vollerthun won his fi rst title with Green Fighter. Both specials raced for the German Green Monster team. This means that Mitas can credit two European championship titles to its account in 2018! For the sake of completeness, we would add that this year the Mitas brand became a partner of the European tractor pulling championships.

The European Tractor Pulling Committee (ETPC) European series, a series of nine tractor pulling events, was also successful for Mitas tires.

Mitas IN | Vol. 16 | No. 2 | 2018 | Page 4

brief

Mitas IN This issue, volume 16, number 2/2018, was published by Trelleborg Wheel Systems Czech Republic a.s., a member of Trelleborg Group (Švehlova 1900, Prague 10, Czech Republic) on 16 November 2018 in Prague. Telephone +420 224 210 206; e-mail press@mitas-tyres.com; www.mitas-tyres.com.

Red Bull Romaniacs is one of the world’s key extreme enduro races. This year was the 15th in the race’s history and took place at the end of July in Romania. Mitas was an offi cial partner of this year’s race and one of its spon-sored riders took home the gold.

Red Bull Romaniacs is considered the toughest enduro race. This fi ve-day

race started with a city prologue; in the four following days, racers headed to more than 600 km of tracks running through the Romanian wilderness near Sibiu, a city in the southern Carpathian Mountains. Hobby riders and leading professionals competed in different categories and everyone enjoyed riding to their limits.

Among them, there were also three Mitas-sponsored riders - Wade Young, Mario Roman and Travis Teasdale. Wade Young from South Africa was most successful, winning the gold medal at Red Bull Romaniacs 2018! Spanish rider Mario Roman fi nished fourth overall after the fourth round and South African rider Travis Teasdale fi nished twelfth.

Riders were using new front prototype tire in

Super Light specifi cation (size 90/100-21) developed for extreme racing conditions and the EF-07 Super Soft (size 140/80–18) rear for the race. The Super Light design uses a slightly softer tread compound, has a lightweight frame and is marked with a green stripe. The Super Soft design (marked with a double green stripe) features an extra-soft tread compound suitable for extreme enduro competitions.

“This year’s Romaniacs was without doubt the toughest race in the history of all extreme enduro races. The conditions and challenges were so demanding that on the fi rst day only ten percent of riders crossed the fi nish line. Mitas tires again proved their quality in the most demanding conditions, and we are very pleased to remain on top with our products,” said Luka Mežan, racing and sponsoring manager for Mitas motorcycle tires and tubes. (JB)

The best ploughmen competed in Germany The 65th World Ploughing Championship took place in Kirchentellinsfurt, Germany, on 1 and 2 September. Competitors competed in two main disciplines – stubble fi eld and grassland ploughing using either a classic or reversible plough. The Austrian WM-Team riding on Mitas tires achieved great success in this contest. 25-year-old Philip Bauer won a bronze medal in the classic plough stubble fi eld ploughing category and fi nished 4th in the overall results. His teammate, Leopold Aichberger, fi nished 7th overall in the reversible plough category. Both tractors were mounted on Mitas AC85 tires. “Tires play the key role in sport ploughing and help to keep the tractor on a direct track. That’s the reason why the Mitas brand has been supporting the Austrian WM-Team and other participants in national ploughing competitions for a long time,” said Robert Breitfelder, market manager for agricultural & forestry tires in Austria.

Download the latest issue of Mitas IN here.

sport | news

Mitas takes gold at Romaniacs 2018

CR-01 – crane specialist Mitas – more than agricultural tires. The brand also offers an extensive product group of industrial tires for varied uses. These include the special CR-01 radial tire developed for mobile cranes. Its all-steel construction provides the extremely high load capacity essential for this type of use. It enables a maximum operating speed of 90 km/h and the load capacity of the largest size in this series (525/80R25 CR-01 176 F) reaches 17 750 kg at an infl ation pressure of 7 bars at standstill. The all-steel construction of Mitas crane tires reduces their rolling resistance and thus also fuel consumption, while the reduced noise at high operating speeds provides extra comfort for mobile crane operators. The open tread pattern blocks provide excellent traction and self-cleaning properties. The highly durable tire carcass is suitable for retreading and its tread pattern enables regrooving. CR-01 tires are homologated as M + S, and thus meet requirements for winter conditions. The current offer includes four Mitas CR-01 tire sizes.

Red Bull Romaniacs 2018 podium. Photo Actiongraphers.

These events took place from April to September in the Netherlands, Hungary, France, Sweden, Denmark and the United Kingdom. In the Light Modifi ed category, the German Green Monster V Mitas Edition tractor achieved overall third place in the series. The Heavy Modifi ed category provided Mitas with the winner of the ETPC series (and also the above-mentioned European champion) in the form of Green Fighter. In the Superstock category, the MITAS All or Nothing tractor from the Kools stable supported by Mitas came second in the championship. All these machines achieved their successes on Mitas

Powerpull tires. It is pleasing to note that more and more tractors running on these tires are appearing in the starting fi eld.

“This year’s tractor pulling season was very successful for Mitas tires and brought us a great deal of precious metal. On the one hand, the teams we sponsored were successful, but a series of drivers from other teams also found success on Mitas Powerpull tires. It is the fi rst ever time we have achieved a success like two medals from the European championship,” says Dana Černá from Mitas marketing. You can fi nd more about the ETPC Euro Cup at www.tractorpulling.com. (JB)

Continued from page 3